Türkiye backs Kashmir cause on ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’ anniversary
Turkish lawmakers, diplomats, and civil society figures joined Pakistan’s embassy in renewed calls for a UN-backed resolution to the dispute
ANKARA, Türkiye (MNTV) — The Pakistan Embassy in Ankara commemorated Youm-e-Istehsal-e-Kashmir on Monday, marking the sixth anniversary of India’s August 5, 2019 move to revoke the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir.
The event, held in partnership with Keçiören Municipality, drew a significantly larger turnout this year including Turkish MPs, former government officials, university students, and media representatives.
In a symbolic gesture of remembrance and resistance, the embassy hosted a photo exhibition on Kashmir’s human rights situation, while reaffirming Islamabad’s stance against what it calls India’s “unilateral and illegal” actions in the disputed region.
Turkish MP Derya Yanık, head of the Human Rights Investigation Commission in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, reiterated Ankara’s “unwavering support” for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination under relevant UN Security Council resolutions. “Türkiye has always stood for justice, and we stand by the people of Kashmir,” she said.
MP Mustafa Kaya and former Deputy Prime Minister Recep Akdağ echoed similar sentiments. Kaya emphasized that a fair resolution of the Kashmir dispute is essential not only for regional stability but also to restore faith in multilateral institutions like the UN. Akdağ added, “It is a matter of unfulfilled international promises. The Turkish nation will continue to stand with the Kashmiri people.”
This year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Mubeen Shah, Chairman of the Kashmir Diaspora Coalition and President of Kashmir House Aid & Development Association.
Calling the Kashmir issue an internationally recognized dispute, Shah urged global powers to act.
“India is acting with impunity because the world is silent,” he said, recalling that he was arrested on August 5, 2019—his birthday—and then was forced to exile from Kashmir.
He demanded international sanctions and stronger diplomatic pushback, saying the diaspora movement is gaining momentum across Türkiye, South Africa, and Europe.
Retired General Güray Alpar, now President of the Geostrategic Foresight Institute, underscored the need for a peaceful, UN-backed resolution in keeping with the Kashmiri people’s aspirations.
Pakistan’s Ambassador Dr. Yousaf Junaid called the 2019 move a violation of international law, warning that it paved the way for a settler-colonial transformation of the region.
“Articles 370 and 35-A may not have been substitutes for the promised plebiscite, but their abrogation was a clear attempt to alter Kashmir’s demographic and political identity,” he said.
He added that regional peace, especially in light of the May standoff between India and Pakistan, depends on resolving the Kashmir issue through dialogue and diplomacy.
Ambassador Junaid also thanked the Turkish leadership—particularly President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan—for consistently raising the Kashmir issue at international forums, including the United Nations General Assembly.
As the program concluded, participants pledged continued solidarity with the Kashmiri people and urged the international community to break its silence. The event marked a notable uptick in diplomatic and civil society engagement compared to previous years, reflecting a renewed push to internationalize the Kashmir issue from the heart of Türkiye.
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